Monthly Archives: January 2012

In my Regional Director Report addressed to our new Chapter President, Laurence Parisi, AIA and co-addressed to Officers and Trustees of AIANJ, I mentioned that my first article of 2012 E-Newsletter would be dedicated towards a call for all of us to work together and to start on this road by attending what I believe is AIA’s best organized and presented program, OUR Annual Grassroots Conference.

There is no doubt that the profession has fallen on some hard economic times. As such, OUR membership numbers have suffered, causing many to questioned “Why the AIA”? Well I found that this question is an age old one and was asked and explained in a speech given at the University of Florida School of Architecture by Edwin Bateman Morris, in April of 1952. Mr. Morris was a member of a much smaller professional staff at AIA, then Headquartered at the Federal-period and original home of the Col. John Tayloe and family. The Octagon OUR home from the turn of the last century had been the temporary executive mansion for President James Madison and his wife Dolley. It is most famous as the place where the Treaty of Ghent, ending the War of 1812 was signed on February 17, 1815.

Why the AIA?; was dedicated to the concern many had as to the direction and intent of the Institute. In reviewing the speech I found that Mr. Morris covered it all. The AIA is a professional organization where we can find companionship with others similarly trained with the same ambitions, tastes and aims. There was mention of the earliest goals for continuing education though he used the word ‘encyclopedia of gathered knowledge’ to be shared by all in place of CEUs. Fellowship was in the forefront. He mentioned meetings where architects would gather congenially together and where information can be and is often easily exchanged. Grassroots is just such a meeting where this happens. While the word intern is not mentioned, the explanation of the transition from schools of architecture to the practice of the profession was clearly advanced.

With interesting and sometimes outright funny quips such as the tale of the man who realizing that McKim, Mead & White employed a large drafting force, asked Mr. Stanford White how many men were in the organization, Mr. White was said to reply, “One hundred and ten. One hundred at the drafting-boards; and ten in the toilets!”

Certainly the goal of the speech was to instill vigor, foster and encourage change in the profession directing young people to joining the AIA. He explained that the Institute was taking charge of public-spirited items formerly supported by collateral architectural organizations. Legal facets, legislative needs, but above all the respect and approval of the profession by the public were being advanced by the Institute. We continue to do that today.

Grassroots is the gathering where AIA can prove to any skeptic that being involved in the organization pays. While the foundation of our education is in schools of architecture, the understanding of the practicality of what we do for a living is advanced at this meeting of leaders. The perfection of meeting nearly 800 other architects from all over the country is accelerated by the imagination groomed and improved as well as brought into focus by the break-out sessions offered over just a few days in Washington, DC. There is no doubt that one can acquire the qualities that make a great architect, working alone. However, the union of many architects working together makes for an uplifted profession. The guiding hand of an organization such as the American Institute of Architects is where we want to be and you want to be with your peers at Grassroots in March. I call for the Chapter and the Sections to fund as many of our young leaders as is possible to attend what has evolved in a GREAT gathering of ideas to help move OUR organization forward. I look forward to seeing many of you there!

I am honored to serve as your President for the 2012 year. I would like to thank all those who supported me in my campaign for election as President of AIANJ – The New Jersey Society of Architects. My theme for this year will be “Back to Basics” Reaching back to the fundamental core of architectural strengths of Design and Construction, mastering and understanding the essential fiber that make the architect the lead professional in the construction industry.

This year is quickly shaping up to be a very exciting and productive year. We are promoting educational programs and events to provide value to our members. We had our first Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday January 17, 2012 and the agenda is packed with new and continuing educational programs.

What does AIA do for me? This phrase seems to be a reoccurring question among some members of AIANJ.

We are the AIA, nearly 1,800 members strong here in New Jersey and 80,000 members at AIA National. Together we bring forward the knowledge and highest standard of professional ethics in the practice of Architecture today. That is what the AIA does for me, and that is why I am very proud to serve as your president.

I’ve found the more you put into the AIA the more you get out. The ambition comes from within, just as we were inspired to become architects. The mentality to want to participate within our professional society for the betterment of our practice is what the AIA is all about. This year we are planning a good number of educational programs essential to our profession. We will host seminars on codes and standards. The committee on the environment will be hosting ‘East Coast Green’ this will be the third year and growing stronger every year. We are planning seminars on professional ethics and the business of architecture. This year we have also integrated a Diversity Committee inspiring inclusion as a main theme to reinforce minority groups of all communities. We will be hosting meetings to encourage unity among the members of AIANJ.

The best way I’ve found to receive benefits from AIA is to participate in these programs for the advancement of our profession offered through AIA, programs in education, the environment, technology, design and construction. This is our profession lets celebrate it, let’s keep it strong and let’s keep it ours!

The 2012 Grassroots Leadership Conference held in Washington D.C. is scheduled for March 7, 2012 through Friday March 9, 2012. If you have not attended this conference before, this is one not to miss. The excitement of going to Capital Hill to lobby with your congressmen and senators for proactive bills that develop the prospect of work to our profession is a real thrill. There are numerous leadership courses offered and evening events that make this conference an exceptional learning experience.

We have an outstanding Executive Committee, who will assist me this year in bringing forward these events for our members. Our Communications Committee is continually improving our presence on the internet with our AIANJ web site and spreading our value to the architect by engaging our members on our Blog and connections with Social Media. They are our future leaders and need our support.

I will serve you all in the best way that I can, to bring value to the architect as the lead discipline in the construction industry, to promote the public awareness and recognition of architects and architecture. In order to protect the public, we will uphold their health safety and welfare by eliminating through legislation or whatever means it takes, the unlawful practice of architecture that threatens us all.

I am honored and proud to serve as the President of AIA NJ for 2012 and I look forward to a very productive year.

Please be advised that, pursuant to the State Planning Act, the State Planning Commission will be conducting six public hearings in order to receive testimony on the draft Final State Strategic State Plan: New Jersey’s State Development and Redevelopment Plan and the draft Infrastructure Needs Assessment, N.J.S.A. 52:18A-202(c).

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The State Planning Commission will convene six public hearings as follows:

In the event of inclement weather resulting in a canceled hearing, the following date(s) have been reserved: March 6, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. Rutgers University, Civic Square Building, Collage Avenue Campus, Special Events Forum Room, 33 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 and March 21, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. State House Annex, Committee Room 1, 125 West State Street, Trenton, NJ 08625.

Interested parties may submit written comments to the State Planning Commission via the Office for Planning Advocacy regarding the draft Final State Development and Redevelopment Plan and the draft Infrastructure Needs Assessment at any time up to 30 days after the last public hearing is conducted, N.J.A.C. 5:85-5.3. Submission of written comments may also be directed to the State Planning Commission at [email protected]

A copy of the draft Final State Strategic Plan: New Jersey’s State Development and Redevelopment Plan and its supporting documents are available for public inspection at the New Jersey Department of State, Office for Planning Advocacy, 225 West State Street, Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0820, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The draft Final State Strategic Plan: New Jersey’s State Development and Redevelopment Plan and its supporting documents are also available electronically on the Office for Planning Advocacy’s website at http://www.state.nj.us/state/planning/plan-draft-final.html.

Questions or concerns, should be directed to Dr. Gerry Scharfenberger, Ph.D., Director State of New Jersey, Department of State, Office for Planning Advocacy, at (609) 633-8301 or via e-mail at [email protected]

Similar to the Energy Master Plan (EMP), the State Plan Hearings will have relevant information and an affect on the architectural community and sustainability. Jason Kliwinski, AIA, plans to attend the 3/1 hearing at the Rutgers Eco-Complex. But, there are a number of hearings scheduled around the State in February that others may wish to attend. As was done for the EMP, AIA New Jersey will prepare an assessment and comments and submit them on behalf of the organization. Individual members are encouraged to attend the public hearings and, if they chose, submit their own comments.

The Architects League of Northern New Jersey, a Section of AIA New Jersey, is pleased to announce that it is hosting an A.R.E. Structures Seminar on February 17-19, 2012, in Wayne, NJ. The event sold out last year. Space is limited and registration is on a first-come first-served basis. Click here for more information: Thaddeus_Seminar_2012_flyer

AIA-NJ held it’s annual awards event at The Waterside in North Bergen on Saturday, Jan. 7 2012. The annual event also celebrated the top achievements among architects and architectural companies throughout the state.

The 2012 President is Laurence E. Parisi, AIA, of Fort Lee. He is owner and president of Laurence E. Parisi P.C. Architects, located in North Bergen. With more than 40 years of experience, he specializes in the design and development of educational, municipal, residential, health care and commercial facilities.

“We express our sincere gratitude to those officers who served AIANJ in 2011 and are looking forward to another great year under the guidance of our incoming 2012 officer class,” Parisi said.

Jack Purvis, AIA, of Howell was installed as president-elect. Purvis has more than 25 years of experience. His firm, Jack A. Purvis Architect in Allenwood, was established in 1986 and caters to a wide variety of projects including new construction, renovations and additions to commercial, residential, private and public facilities.

Kimberly Bunn, AIA, of Moorestown, is first vice president. She is owner and principal of Moorestown-based Bunn Architecture, a full service architectural firm specializing in residential projects.

Kurt Kalafsky, AIA, of Howell, was installed as second vice president. Kalafsky is a founding principal and chief technology officer of the Aztec Corp. and Aztec Architects LLC. He is a registered architect in 28 states and the District of Columbia.

Justin A. Mihalik, AIA, of Essex Fells resumed his position as treasurer. Mihalik is a principal at J.A. Mihalik Architect LLC in Essex Fells.

Verity Frizzell, AIA, of Bay Head, N.J., was installed as secretary. Frizzell is owner of Feltz & Frizzell Architects in Point Pleasant.

Jerome Leslie Eben, AIA, of West Orange, will resume his position as regional director. Eben is an architect and ambassador for Deutsche Steinzeug, a German-based ceramic tile manufacturer, and principal of Jerome Leslie Eben, Architect and Planner in West Orange, N.J.

Clair Wholean, AIA, of Jersey City, resumed her position as regional associate director. Wholean is a project manager at the New York City-based, full service architectural firm, Kenny & Khan Architects.

During the evening the AIA-NJ Service Awards were presented to the following:
Distinguished Service Award – Verity Frizzell, AIA
Architect of the Year – Jason Kliwinski, AIA
Young Architect of the Year – Benjamin Walmer, AIA
Intern Architect of the Year – Claire Wholean, Assoc. AIA
Firm of the Year – Arcari ad Iovino Archtiects
Resident of the Year – Lawrence Powers, Esq.

Today, the American Institute of Architects announced the 13 recipients of the AIA National Young Architects Award. Among them is 2011 AIA New Jersey President, Michael Hanrahan, AIA.

Michael J. Hanrahan, AIA has been a key member of Clarke Caton Hintz for over fifteen years. Licensed in 2002, he immediately earned the title of Associate. Michael was promoted to Senior Associate in 2005 and ultimately elevated to Associate Partner in 2010. Michael has served as lead designer and project manager for many of the firms notable and award winning projects. He has worked on projects of varying scale and type across multiple market sectors. Michael also has extensive experience in historic preservation and the adaptive re-use of existing buildings. He is particularly adept at taking practical advantage of the existing character of historic spaces.

In addition to distinguishing himself professionally, Michael has also dedicated his time to serve the profession of architecture. In 1999, Michael began his tenure on the Executive Committee of AIA Central New Jersey, where he held a variety of positions culminating in his Presidency in 2005. In 2006, Michael became a member of the Executive Committee of AIA New Jersey. He held the office of Secretary for three years. Michael has advanced through the leadership ranks of AIA New Jersey and currently serves as President of the organization. In addition to his leadership role within AIA New Jersey, Michael is an active member of the Construction Specifications Institute, Preservation New Jersey, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. He also volunteers in his community as an assistant coach for numerous community athletic teams and is a former member of his local historic preservation commission.

Michael is a representative of a new breed of young leaders rejuvenating AIA New Jersey. His commitment to revitalizing the profession of architecture is widely recognized. He possesses the ability to easily reach consensus among numerous divergent opinions to form reasoned, thoughtful responses that proactively address the issues confronting the profession today.

On Tuesday, January 17, 2012, AIA New Jersey held its first Board of Trustees meeting of 2012 in the AIA Room at the School of Architecture at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, in Newark, NJ. After reviewing and approving the general operating policies for 2012 and the 2012 budget, newly installed AIA New Jersey President Larry Parisi, AIA outlined a series of proposed events for the year as follows:

IRC Seminar – Tentatively Scheduled for April or May, Location TBD

East Coast Green – June 13-14 at Brookdale Community College

Design Day – September 13, at the Berkley, Asbury Park

A Booth at the League of Municipalities – November

Diversity Day – TBD

Green Code Seminar – TBD

The Business of Architecture – TBD

Ethics for Architects – TBD

Architect as Citizen – TBD

Also discussed were plans for the annual Grassroots Leadership & Legislative Conference, March 7-10, in Washington, DC; a call for nominations for 2013; planned discussions with SDA Chief Mark Larkins; and updates from APAC, ArhiPAC, all chapter officers and committees, and each section. The leaders of AIA New Jersey welcome your opinion and input on these matters and any others you believe should be addressed. Please feel free to reach out to your section representatives or any officer of the chapter or committee chair at any time. Also, we encourage you to engage in conversations with your colleagues on our social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and our Website Blog.

Registration is now open for the 2012 AIA National Convention- May 17-19 in Washington, DC. The location makes it more accessible to members of AIA New Jersey. Register now. For more information click here.

On Saturday, January 14, 2012, AIA NJ helped sponsor the NJ Future City Competition, an annual competition run by ASCE as one of the activities for National Engineers Week. Held at the Student Center at the Livingston Campus of Rutgers University, this year’s competition had 77 teams from 28 schools attend the final competition on Saturday, with a total of 129 teams and more than 400 students from 36 schools participating in the preliminary rounds. AIA NJ was proud to participate in the event. 2011 AIA New Jersey President, Michael Hanrahan, AIA served as a judge while AIA New Jersey Regional Director, Jerry Eben, AIA and 2012 AIA West Jersey President, Bob O’Reilly, AIA greeted students in the Meet the Professionals forum.

The mission of the National Engineers Week Future City Competition is to provide a fun and exciting educational engineering program for sixth, seventh and eighth-grade students that combines a stimulating engineering challenge with a “hands-on” application to present their vision of a city of the future. Problem solving, teamwork, research and presentation skills, practical math and science applications, and computer skills are needed to successfully complete the Future City challenge. AIA New Jersey’s involvement is meant to highlight the inter-relatedness of architecture and engineering, and to help encourage students interested in the arts, science and mathematics.

The Leicester B. Holland Prize is an annual competition that recognizes the best single-sheet measured drawing of an historic building, site, or structure prepared by an individual(s) to the standards of the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), Historic American Engineering Record (HAER), or the Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS). The prize is supported by the Paul Rudolph Trust, Architectural Record, a magazine of the American Institute of Architects (AIA); and the Center for Architecture, Design & Engineering in the Library of Congress, and administered by the Heritage Documentation Programs of the National Park Service (HABS/HAER/HALS/CRGIS). The prize honors Leicester B. Holland (1882-1952), FAIA, chairman of the AIA’s Committee on Historic Buildings, head of the Fine Arts Division of the Library of Congress and first curator of the HABS collection, a co-founder of the HABS program in the 1930s, and the first chair of the HABS Advisory Board.

The prize is intended to increase awareness, knowledge, and appreciation of historic sites, structures, and landscapes throughout the United States while adding to the permanent HABS, HAER and HALS collection at the Library of Congress, and to encourage the submission of drawings among professionals and students. The prize is also intended to reinvigorate the art of architectural delineation and composition in the tradition established by the Ecole des Beaux Arts. Beaux Arts methodology embraced the study and drawing of historic buildings as a crucial component of architectural education, providing an opportunity for young architects to gain an understanding of the principles of design and construction. Additionally, it was a means through which architects mined historic buildings for architectural motifs to be used in their restoration and new design projects. By requiring only a single sheet, the competition challenges the delineator to capture the essence of the site through the presentation of key features that reflect its historic and its architectural, landscape architectural or engineering significance. The Holland Prize competition is open to all those interested, regardless of experience or professional background.

Entry deadline: June 1, 2012

Architectural Record magazine will publish the winning drawing, and the winner will receive a $1000 cash prize and a certificate of recognition. Merit awards will also be given.